Poppy

For those of you that don't know my dad, he is a pretty handy guy. Now don't get me wrong, my husband can rebuild a car engine and fix most anything I need him to, I mean who else do you know that carves their pumpkin with an electric drill, more on that later. But he hates anything to do with wood. Granted he is currently building our new deck, a project almost 8 months in the making, but he hates working with wood. I think it is all the measuring and tiny cuts and whatever else is associated with wood.  But he does it for his family. Did I mention he hates working with wood?!?

Ok, now back to my dad. My dad loves working with wood. He has built and painted and fixed up a ton of cool stuff for us and the kids and I just wanted to share some of what he has done.

 

 

 

Here is a table that one of his neighbors was going to get rid of. He asked if we would be interested in having it, I mean a free Ethan Allen, sure right?!? Honestly, at first I thought if he is literally giving away this table it must be pretty bad off. But my dad said he thought he could fix it up nice, so I said sure why not. This is what we got.

 

 

 

Beautiful isn't it? He sanded and stained the top and then painted and distressed the legs and chairs. Turned out awesome! Not bad for free. There are two leaves that go in it, but there is only one in these pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next piece is one he did on his own. I wanted some sort of server or buffet in the dining room. I gave him some ideas and we exchanged some picures and this is what we got.

 

 

It is cherry wood, which I hated to paint, but I really wanted it to be a distressed black. He got a great deal on the wood from a friend. It turned out great! I love it! And again, handmade by my dad and best of all free!

 

 

 

This next one was one of the highlights of Christmas. I had seen a picture on Pinterest and sent my dad the link. This was only a few weeks before Christmas and I wasn't sure if he would have time, but I thought maybe for Charlie's next birthday or something. (Thank God he is retired.) He had all the parts in the basement and had it together in no time.

 

 

Charlie and Sadie love it and play with it almost daily. There was only one problem...CHC, my 13 year old nephew, was upset that he never had one. He just didn't have a mom quite like me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poppy also did several pieces for Sadie's room. A window seat/ toy box and the window frame/ shelf with her name on it. (do you see the bird house? Yeah, that is what my husband makes does to wood)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The table and chairs were mine, they have been in the family for like 80 years or more. Again he painted them up and they are as good as new. She has even added her own stickers to them to prove they are hers.

 

Family Tea party at the table. Pirates, princesses and daddy's welcome!

 

 

For Charlie's room, I told Poppy I wanted a toy chest for him as well. Being quite the thrifty shopper that he is, he found this one at Goodwill. It was cheaper than buying the wood to make a new one. So he painted it to go in his room. (it is currently in the dining room because there is little spare room in Charlie's room, but once the rocking chair comes out, the chest will go in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last one is another one of my favorites. This is not one my father made, but his father made for him. The Rocking Horse! It was originally made, as I mentioned earlier,  in the 1940's by my grandfather, who I never had the opportunity to meet. The original colors were yellow and red. So my dad painted it to go with Charlie's decor and fixed the tail and this is what we got.

 

Before (Here is Sadie in 2009)

 

After Poppy finished it 2012

 

So, I finish by saying what a great family I have. I am so lucky to have such a talented father that is so good to us. Thanks Dad a.k.a. Poppy, for all you have done. We love you!!!